Consumer Reports Creating Viruses?

[profdlp]

I'm with Consumer Reports on this one. Almost anyone can write a program which will detect last-year's virus. I want a product that will protect me from the one released next week.

Consumer Reports recently conducted one of the most thorough tests ever of antivirus programs. But to really put these security programs through the paces, the magazine hired a firm to create 5,500 new viruses, using them to test the antivirus software products for their ability to detect unexpected threats.

Now antivirus companies are crying foul, saying the magazine ignored a long-standing principle not to invent new viruses.

"Creating new viruses for the purpose of testing and education is generally not considered a good idea,” wrote Igor Muttik of McAfee's antivirus lab on a public company blog this week. “Viruses can leak and cause real trouble." The entry helped touch off a firestorm.
Consumer Reports responds. (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/protection-software-9-06/how-we-test-antivirus-software/0609_software_testing.htm)

Source: MSNBC (http://redtape.msnbc.com/2006/08/consumer_report.html)

[airbornflght]

I see no problem with that, sure, some people are going to throw fits, but the only people I see that are mad are the av companies, which isnt surprising, because this will expose just how good their programs actually are; which they may not like.

[QCH2002]

How dare you actually crash a car to see how it does in a real collision!!!!

If car manufacturers would inform the government to only run side impact on car "A" but go ahead and do a front impact on car "B" as long as it's under 50 MPH. Every car could look GREAT with those restrictions.

You want to test a Antivirus product... you need to really test it with new stuff and see how each product performs.

GO FOR IT Consumer Reports!!!!

[airbornflght]

That pretty much hits the nail on the head right there.